I had steak bites which were delicious and cane with a Cesar salad I wasn't a fan of the fires though

After being in Florida I arrived in a dreary, chilly Grand Rapids, armed with a hunger for something other than seafood. Many an acquaintance said, you have to try Hopcat, so here I am hanging at the bar. As the name suggests, this place is all about the beer (but we'll get to the food in a minute). A great barkeep greeted me and explained the beer and food menu within seconds. They have over 41 beers on tap (Whoa) and a ton of bottle selections. Be sure to try something wet, they have options for every taste! Ok, on to the food. A couple of guys sitting next to me pointed out that they are known for their french fries...best in America. You know what, they might be right, they are very good.While I did a side of cheese, it wasn't necessary, they stood on their own. The guys did the loaded version, with bacon, cheese and onions...but just straight up were very, very good. Although they say the burgers are great, my bartender said the spicy chicken is terrific, so I opted in. Yes it is spicy, nicely done with a hot sauce, but my chicken was a bit overcooked. I dont want it to mar my review, but I think I should have gone with the burger. As an added indicator, my new friends at the bar shared that Stella's, nearby, supposedly had some of the best burgers in the country. Note to self: fries at Hopcat and burgers at Stella. Let me summarize; the beer is 5, the Fries as well also a 5. Only the Spicy Chicken fell short. When I'm back this way again, I'll know what to do. read more

HopCat - Dinner at the Hopcat bar - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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It had been quite awhile since we had stopped in here. We are glad we did. Pretzel and cheese app was a hit with the kids, burgers were as good as I remembered and the service was excellent. For a late Sunday lunch for a family of 5, it was great. read more

Good beer selection and good burgers. The bartenders are attentive and friendly. Busy, loud environment.

Food: they have really good house & loaded fries! and they are not salty:) Burger menus come with og fries so no need to order extra! Drink: lots of options to choose from, but they offer sample tasting so recommend trying first then ordering to your liking! Location: parking is available at a nearby parking-lot, but hard to find open space later in the day. They have nice outdoor seatings, but be careful when sitting on the wooden chair!! last time I found a little caterpillar read more

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Hannah was amazing! Thank you for a great lunch! Love the Madtown Grilled Cheese, that's my favorite item on their menu. Yum!

Burgers were so good, a little dry but very flavorful. We will be back and soon. The service was excellent as well.

Good beer, good service, good food! Came in here for a burger and beer and had a good experience. We really enjoyed the food and it's great for popping in for a bite and drink. Highly recommend if you're in the area! read more

Casey is the best!! Great service. Excellent stout beers and the scene was fun and exactly what we were looking for.

I stop in time to time and am always great with a hello. Amanda at the bar does a great job seeing how I am and waiting on me. They have vegetarian options, so if you go regularly you can try something new. My go two is the crunchy Buddha bowl but if you like grilled cheese the mad cap grilled cheese is tasty. read more

This is one of the more difficult reviews I have written. The atmosphere and staff were great. It was busy and I had a fine experience. Early dinner on a Sunday afternoon and I had been told to get the crack fries. (Best in the world) lots of you raved about the fries in your reviews. I asked for them and what came out were basic french fries with salt and pepper. Either I said the wrong thing or there was a communication error. Ordered the bar z burger and it is very good. My preference is for medium well and mine was closer to well done and getting toward the dry out side. Personally well done is fine but it has to still be moist. As to the ale cheese soup, excellent, would do it again and the American brown ale I had was a total hit. Overall, I liked the place but it does not rise to out of this world. read more

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I am a fan of cool bars. This is a cool damn bar and restaurant. I like bars that are loud. HopCat is loud. I appreciate quick, polite and quality service. All of those points were checked here. For the beer list. Holy sheet. The sheer number of beers offered is as big of one as I have ever seen. Truly amazing they offer that much. That said, I ordered two of theirs. Don't Haze Me Bro (a hit for me) and Blushing Mistress (meh). On to the food. Crack Fries. OMG. I can't describe the goodness contained in the basket. Our server had all of the toppings served on the side. I'd recommend this. That way it is easily shared (if you want to be that nice) with those that don't want the toppings. The cheese sauce for the fries is hands down the best cheese sauce I have ever had. Has to be the best anywhere. Period. It would go on damn near anything and make it better! I had their version of a French dip. Kinda salty. Almost too much. However it was good, albeit a tad dry. The au jus obviously helped. I also had some of their BBQ sauce in the side, for the fries. Really good mustard based sauce that really worked for the sammy too. My wife had the blackened tacos, minus the blackening spices. No problem for the kitchen. Those tacos were mighty fine. No dessert but I did get a HopCat t-shirt for beer shirt Thursdays. $13 for a T-shirt? Unheard of bargain if you ask me. And it's a quality shirt. All the way around HopCat is a winner. End of story. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Hopcat is my favorite place in GR for fries. I honestly can't get enough of the crack fries and the cheese dip that pairs well with it. If you're a fan of fries, you definitely have to try Hopcat. In terms of the rest of the menu, they tend to be better at burgers (which is a given since they're very known for their fries). Whenever I'm at Hopcat, I usually order The Original Bar Zee, Mushroom or Cowboy burger. Hopcat has multiple locations throughout the state and are continuing to expand outside of Michigan. The location in GR is their original location! They have a ton of beer that you can select from that's on tap or bottled. They also have some outdoor seating but you'll want to get there a little earlier to grab a table because they're usually really busy. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

This was our first time at the Grand Rapids location. It's in a nice area and we walked around a bit beforehand while waiting to be seated. I ordered a beer flight of wheat beers and enjoyed them all (Mr. Orange and Sunset were the best). I got their killer mac and cheese with chicken and thought it was good, but I would have liked a bit more added to it (tossed in jalapenos from my wife's quesadilla). The rum&coke was strong and the kids like their mac and cheese and the fries. Everything was good, but for some reason I feel the food in the Ann Arbor location is better (particularly the fries). I give the GR location 4 stars and would return here again. read more

The food and the service were great, I highly recommend it. It's a hidden gem in the heart of GR

It was hard to write this and not give 5 stars, we went to this Hopcat repeatedly (many) years ago when it was the only one, and was the 4th best beer bar in America. Beer bars got better overall, this one didn't. Still a good selection, good vibe, good food, good to really good staff. Just not great, and there are a number of great beer bars out there. Even some of the newer Hopcats are better overall. Loud inside. Slightly crowded feeling layout. Very limited street parking, strongly recommend uber or garage parking. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Our waitress was absolutely amazing tonight. The Vanilla grasshopper was delicious. 10 out of 10 would recommend going to Hopcat. I will be back. read more

We have been to HopCat many times over the years but this past time just felt odd - it could have been because COVID just throws a wrench in the vibe of places or maybe it was partially the experience - I'm not really sure. We went for national cheeseburger day - they had a $7 double olive cheeseburger with fries which we couldn't pass up. Upon getting to the door, we waited outside as they have a small table in the door between the entrance and the actual restaurant/bar which only had one group Checking in at a time. Once we got in, we were told the mask rules and flow of traffic for entering and exiting. We were promptly seated at a high top and told that the sanitizer is eating away at the finish on the table - so that's why it's sticky-but it is clean. I found that a little odd - like maybe they'd find a better solution or something to put over a sticky table that washed better? In any case, our food took awhile to come out after ordering and while I requested no cheese (it came with American and cheddar) I ended up receiving a burger with "no American cheese" but it still has Swiss...I didn't want to wait or make a fuss so I just took it and scraped off the cheese. The burger was decent but both my husband and I had a hard time finishing it - it was a little heavy/greasy. The fries were good but not many came with the meal - what do you expect for $7 though - it was a good deal! The server was kind, just a bit off when it came to the order and a little slow on bringing water out; could have been she had more demanding tables, not sure. I gave the overall experience a 3 because it just felt underwhelming and the food was okay. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Really amazing food! Lots of variety for different tastes! The only down side it is on the pricier side for the amount of food you get. read more

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Stopped by here for a brief lunch while visiting family in Grand Rapids. The venue decor is exceptional. I had a local brew and burger. My girlfriend had the boneless wings. Both meals were absolutely delicious. read more

HopCat - Burger & Boneless Wings - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

We showed up here because Brick and Porter was packed and the wait....60 minutes plus. We just needed food, ya know...relatively close to our hotel. We found HopCat and put our name in for 9 people, power walked over and got a table upstairs. The food was hot and yummy with good cocktails and a warm and friendly atmosphere. I'd definitely come back when in town again. read more

Covid times sure is strange.... limited brunch menu and limited gluten free options (pretty disappointing). I got avocado toast & hubby got the chicken sandwich. Mimosa for me, two hearted for hubby. Service was good... food brought out timely... I might have snagged a delicious fry. read more

HopCat - Nashville Hot Chicken - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Eilena was tremendous...worked with our large group and accomodated our time frame. We will be back AND request her as server! Thanks!

Awesome burger and wow the fries definitely the best I've ever had. Was told they were and I don't know what they do but they are incredible. Definitely recommend read more

Service is biggest miss - food was alright but took 30 minutes to get a glass of water....less than impressed. I'm a little taken aback at how it has 4/5 stars- my family member ordered a vegetarian burger and couldn't finish more than a bite. Staff offered NO refills when our glasses were clearly empty and no to-go boxes... just basic courtesy was not present. Would not recommend and will not be going back. read more

Fun vibey spot in Grand Rapids. An obvious observation is this is the place to go if you want beer! A plethora of options on tap that would be sure to hit anything you're hoping for. We tried several beers ranging from standard lagers to IPA's to a habanero infused stout. Our experience was taken to the 5 star range because of our waitress who NAILED every recommendation for all 6 of us there. We all had different preferences for beer and she was knowledgeable and picked perfect beers for each of us. We also ordered some appetizers and they were all good. Food was tasty and fresh. Service was friendly, knowledgeable and fast. Make sure to drop by if you're in the area! read more

HopCat - Inside - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Spent my birthday here, Our server, Eilena was great super cool dude. Great food! I'm gonna come back here again

I know it's a chain, but it gives great local vibes, and I just love the fries and the mad-town grilled cheese sandwich. I haven't had a bad experience with a bartender, server, or host in like the 5 years I have been going here, and it's always high on my list for grabbing some take out. read more

I haven't been in a long time. I love the Michigan beer selection. Tons of great options on the menu. Tried a burger and it didn't disappoint. Great fries as usual and the chili was amazing. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

Ok....food is seriously low quality. Service was good but food is mediocre. McDonald's qtr pounder tastes better than their signature 2x burger. It's frozen beef low quality and tastes like nothing. Go here for beer ONLY or if you have limited taste buds. read more

I went to Hopcat after finding most places closed and was hungry for a late dinner. I got a double smash burger that was one of the best burgers that I have had in years. The fries should never be underestimated because they come crispy with a seasoning that if I had the opportunity I would put it on everything. Service was good. The restaurant was clean with an old school bar feel. read more

Very good food and drink options. Overall pricing is on par with todays prices. Would definitely go again.

eilina was fab! went out for a birthday and her recommendations were great. the space curds are 2 DIE FOR !!

Wow where to start. First of all they lost my order & two other people's orders who were waiting. The host was rude when I asked if my food was ready she kept saying no then went to check & the food was there waiting the whole time. I finally get to eat my food and my burger has nothing on it but a patty & buns..... I asked for a beyond burger with no tomato & no onions but got NOTHING! I decided to eat it because I was so hungry AND A HAIR IN IT!!! Won't ever go back to this location this is the second time they got my order wrong but it's never been this bad. Don't go here. Thankfully I got a refund read more

I can certainly try to illustrate the situation here. Its like my exwife. Looks good sometimes but always disconnected from reality and no fun. Hop Cat is a Successful no doubt. The ambiance is coolish, the food is good, and the beer is made somewhere else. The staff however, totally different story. If you want to be one step above an ant on the floor this is your place. No personality and zero help. This is definitely a job for these children. My food was slid across a dirty bar and looked like a 25 yr old trying to impress his GF with 3 day old slaw. Again, not The worst but lacking real vibes. read more

Hopcat has to be one of my all time favorite restaurants in Grand Rapids. Every time I come here I leave MORE than satisfied. The staff is always so kind and helpful, the food is always amazing, and the drinks are great. This time, I got the Strawberry Lemonade Cider and it was fantastic. I haven't tried their cider before and I was pleasantly surprised. I love sweeter drinks and this was the perfect amount of sweet but not TOO sweet for me. For my entree, I got the Quesadilla with Roasted Cauliflower (and no jalapeños). This is the second time I got this for my meal and it was just as delicious as the first time! It's always cooked perfectly and is so filling. The flavor is amazing and it's definitely one of my favorite vegetarian entrees that I've had at a restaurant. My friend got the grilled cheese which came with tomato soup and fries, and they loved it! It looked really appealing to me and I think it's going on my list to try for next time :) Our waitress was super kind and helpful with assisting me in figuring out what kind of beer/cider I wanted (I'm not a beer connoisseur by any means) and was attentive without being overbearing. We went at about 6:00 on a Friday and had no wait for a table which I was very surprised by! There was a bit of a wait for outdoor seating, but I think that's pretty typical for any place downtown in the summer. Overall I had an amazing experience here like always and would HIGHLY recommend Hopcat to any GR locals or anyone visiting GR! read more

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This place came highly recommended. I thought it was good but I wasn't blown away by any means. The side is cool and different with some standalone tables, high top tables, bar, and then picnic bench seating with long tables. I asked for a recommendation for my drink after I told the waitress what I liked. The drink (i can't remember the name) had a lot of the seasonings that they use on the fries on the rim of the drink. The drink looked like a drink I would drink as it was cute, girly and light pink but I hated this drink! The waitress came back to check on us and asked if I liked the drink, I told her I did not. She left it at the table and I ordered a cider instead which was a safer bet. (but we still had to pay for the drink even though I didn't drink it). The buffalo chicken rolls that they have as appetizers were really good. Came with ranch on the side. The buffalo sauce was spread around the plate and wasn't soaked in it which was great because I can only tolerate a smaller amount of buffalo sauce. This came with 6 pieces so my coworker and I were able to both have 3. I got the burger with onion rings as my meal - It was pretty basic but good. The onion rings were good though. Definitely enjoyed those. The grays way mac and cheese with chicken was very rich and filling so it was almost impossible to eat the entire thing. It was good though! Just very filling. read more

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So was bored and wanted some good beer but wasn't sure where to go. After waking around downtown for about 30 minutes I decided to head inside to look at the menu. At first it was overwhelming but everything I had was delicious. They have a very extensive list of drafts which will work for just about everyone. The drinks were definitely 5 stars but the food was just 4 stars. It was happy hour and I did order from the happy hour menu so I guess I can't really complain. I ate the buffalo chicken rolls. This place was very packed for a Sunday evening which isn't surprising after drinking some of their delicious beer. Will definitely be back for more. read more

HopCat - American Near Me - Grand Rapids, Michigan

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Hopcat GR, my sons pick for dinner out. Service was good, actually very good. Fast and friendly service staff. Good range of drinks and I like a local offering so thumbs up. But ---- and you suspect that it was coming. Food review = mediocre at best. Blue cheese burger- the standard by which I judge. Messy, messy and might I mention messy. The sauce was spread plate wide. Bun soaked. Sorry but it's not a good move. On a date this would be a turn off for sure. Toppings fresh, blue cheese flavor good not overly done. Did I mention "ask for more, much more napkins" Patty's were over cooked but I was not asked how I wanted them. Crack fries - change the name if you must but we all know they are called crack fries. "Cept they are as addictive as cold ramen noodles. Warm not hot and just a plate of warm soft fries with pepper. With so many offerings so close by Hopcat needs to step up their food game. You are short changing a good waitstaff Had feedback from Shawn at Hopcat, Yes Shawn I would try here again and yes mostly because the service. read more

Got seated very fast! Brisket nachos AMAZING. Atmosphere is perfect. Couldn't ask for a better vacation restaurant spot